Does St. Joe have 'skill' for run at dome?

August 16, 2006|MATT KOPSEA Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- The start of the 2006 campaign couldn't come any sooner for the St. Joseph's High football team. With a solid nucleus of skilled players back, the Indians (7-5 in 2005) are hopeful to turn last year's Class 3-A sectional title game setback to eventual state champion NorthWood into a distant memory. "After all was said and done, we realized that could have easily been us playing in the (RCA) Dome last year," said St. Joe coach Kevin Downey of the 21-7 setback. "We were right there with them for three quarters. The bottom line, though, is they made the big plays and we didn't. Hopefully, we can improve each week and put ourselves in position to finish off the job this time." The Indians should be one of the area's top squads with the return of the dynamic duo of quarterback Louie Ruszkowski and running back Jordan Taylor. While the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Ruszkowski accounted for nearly 1,500 total yards, Jordan, a 6-foot, 200-pound junior, rolled up more than 1,000 yards on the ground. "Our skill positions will be the strength of this team," Downey said. "We should have the ability to run and throw the ball effectively. What we want to be able to do, though, is dictate how we use them." Other threats out of the backfield include seniors Ray Winkler and Mike Schafer, while 6-5 tight end Joey McClintock should be a big target for Ruszkowski. While finding qualified individuals to man the offensive line is a top priority, there should be plenty of familiar faces on the other side of the ball. Back on the front line is leading tackler Tucker Florea along with Mitch Speer and Chris Kosinski. "The fact we're going to be playing a lot of younger guys means we're going to make things a little simpler," Downey said. "We might not have a lot of size, but we've got speed which should allow us to be aggressive." Having worked with most of these kids since they entered the program, Downey is anxious to see what the finished product looks like starting Friday at Mishawaka. "Most of these kids started when I came in four years ago, so I've seen them grow and mature into fine, young men," Downey said. "We've been blessed with a lot of success, but I believe the best is still to come for us. "If we can fill in all of the holes and avoid injuries, I'm excited about our chances," Downey added. "We haven't played the perfect game yet, so maybe that will happen once we have the finished product." Staff writer Matt Kopsea:mkopsea@sbtinfo.com(574) 235-6315